But the truth is, I can’t get that kind of curiously-inspiring, uncomfortable feeling while I go about my daily routine. I’m not talking about out and out fear or stress where you are worried about your health or safety, but rather being pushed to the edges of your comfort zone and maybe a little bit beyond.  Trying to utter a few phrases in a language you’re just starting to learn. Spending 30 minutes attempting to decipher menu choices only to end up with an oddly shaped piece of meat.  Trying to remember which hand gestures are friendly and which ones will likely get you into a bar room brawl. 

I was definitely feeling a little uncomfortable about the “American with Devil Sauce”

For me, my comfort level is challenged every time I have to strike up a social conversation with folks I don’t know.  Though it can be lonely at times, I’m actually more comfortable traveling on my own rather than face the possible rejection by strangers.

Tasks that barely register a thought at home, like crossing the street or shopping at the market, take on a whole new level of awareness when you’re unsure of traffic rules or exchange rates. Sometimes you can celebrate a little victory like finding your way through the unmarked back streets of a small village. Other times you get a full adrenaline rush from something like riding on the back of a motorscooter through the tight alleyways of a Vietnamese market going what appears to be the wrong way.

What experiences have you had when you travel that have made you feel uncomfortable. And once you got past the ‘uncomfortable’ feeling, were you glad you had that experience?